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Saturday, May 17, 2008

Stella, Ella and Others

image: Allposters

Remember the rhyming chants that accompanied popular schoolyard games? You know, those little ditties kids would sing during clapping games and sessions of jump rope. I'm sure little boys were acquainted with them as well but in my day, these rhymes were fiercely monopolized by girls, especially at recess.

I don't recall them word for word or even accurately (whilst others heard actual words, I perceived and often memorized gibberish). Instead only snippets of the lyrics linger about in my head. The melodies haven't escaped me though. They're a bit like solemn chants when viewed through an age-worn memory. Here are the bits and pieces that won't leave:

Stella Ella OlaWhat little girl did not play this game? Stella Ella Ola is as popular on campgrounds as it is in the schoolyard, with many variations being handed down to friends and little sisters, decades over. The version below sounds a lot like the one we used to sing:

Blue Bells, Cockle ShellsIf I recall correctly, this was a jump-rope warm up song for those who had difficulty "jumping in". The rope is gently swung side to side on the ground while participants jump over. The rope is turned over on the word "over". At first I thought it was "caca shells" instead of "cockle shells". I don't remember any other lyrics to this tune:

Blue bells, cockle shells, easy, ivy, over

K-I-S-S-I-N-GWho didn't love this ditty (or weapon of great humiliation)?:

(name) and (name) sitting in a tree K-I-S-S-I-N-G first comes love and then comes marriage then comes a baby in a baby's carriage!

It was sweet satisfaction to pair up a mate with a fella. Most of us didn't want our names publicly hooked up with a boy but secretly we did, of course.

Pat-a-CakePat-a-cake was another tune I butchered. For many years, I sincerely thought it was "Pan-a-cake". Perhaps a bit of therapy would have helped me out back then, eh?

Pat-a-cake, pat-a-cake, baker's man.Bake me a cake as fast as you can.Pat it and roll it and mark it with "B"And put it in the oven for Baby and me.

I couldn't remember the rest of the lyrics (or the clapping sequences), but it was definitely a favorite.

It's literally been decades since I played these games or belted out one of these tunes, yet there they are, ever present in my mind and not willing to leave. Thank goodness, I'm not ready to leave them either.

I learned it as Miss Mary with the steamboat, and figured it was the same woman who wore all black (black, black)...

Miss Mary had a steamboather steamboat had a bellMiss Mary went to heavenher steamboat went toHello operatorplease give me number nineand if you disconnect meI'll kick you inbehind the yellow curtainthere was a piece of glassMiss Mary sat upon itand hurt her little Ask me no more questionsplease tell me no more liesthe boys are in the changeroomdoing up theirflies are in the citythe bees are in the parkMiss Mary and her boyfriendare kissing in thedark is in a moviea movie is a showbut now the show is overand it is time toGo go go go go!

Have a Memory to Share?

"The greatest poem ever known Is one all poets have outgrown: The poetry, innate, untold, of being only four years old."—Christopher Morley, To a Child

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"I sometimes find...that I simply have too many thoughts and memories crammed into my mind....At these times...I use the Pensieve. One simply siphons the excess thoughts from one's mind, pours them into the basin, and examines them at one's leisure."—Albus Dumbledore